For fall and the holidays, as well as in celebration of its
10-year anniversary, Tomaso’s has come out with a fixed-price,
three-course menu of heartier dishes for $35.

“It’s something a little bit different and more exciting,” said
Lorenzo Bianchi, executive chef and manager for the restaurant. “We
want to spice it up a little bit and stand out from the crowd.”

Diners can choose one of three appetizers: Sicilian antipasto,
lobster bisque soup or black mussels fra diavolo. Entree choices
include Surf and Turf, a 4-ounce fillet in a port reduction sauce
topped with gorgonzola and grilled scallops with pesto mashed
potatoes and grilled asparagus. Lemon scampi and butternut squash
ravioli with an amaretto cream sauce and fresh vegetables, and the
Mediterranean mixed grill, which is herb and parmesan encrusted
lamb and chicken drizzled with pesto and served with roasted potato
and sauteed vegetables.

“Ten years and we’re still here, it says a lot, especially in
this economy,” Bianchi said. “The success is being consistent. Good
food, good service, people keep coming back.”

The restaurant, located at 7131 W. Ray Road in Chandler, is
family owned and focuses on not being just another chain. Tomaso’s
serves traditional dishes where everything is fresh and made from
scratch.

“It’s still good and it’s healthy. That’s what people think
about Italian food: it’s heavy, heavy, heavy. No, it’s not it’s
more than that. As long as you’re being creative with your ideas
you can make it inviting,” Bianchi said. “There’s nothing wrong
with pasta as long as you put the right items in it and healthy
items. It doesn’t always have to be cream, cream, cream. Something
light like olive oil or garlic, it’s just being creative that’s all
there is.”

In addition to its entrees, Tomaso’s offers an extended happy
hour from 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, featuring $6
appetizers, $6 martinis, $5 wine by the glass, $2 domestic beer and
$3 imported beer. The restaurant is versatile enough, Bianchi said,
to entertain a romantic evening out for two to a large corporate
party.